WWE's Brie Bella recalls Paige's surprise return at WrestleMania 42: 'Magical moment'

The Bellas appeared to be up a creek without a paddle at WrestleMania 42 after Nikki Bella revealed before the event she would be sidelined for the show with an ankle injury.

Brie Bella, seemingly without a partner, may have had to pull herself out of the fatal four-way match for the WWE Women’s Tag Team Championship. Instead, a surprise return stunned pro wrestling fans in Las Vegas and at home. Paige came out in support of The Bellas and they were able to enter the match and capture the titles.

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Paige and Brie Bella make their entrance during WrestleMania 42: Night 1 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (WWE via Getty Images)

She recalled the "magical moment" with OutKick Dropkick in a recent interview.

"Paige, we have so much history with, and she literally feels like a sister to me. So going from such a down moment, finding out about Nikki's broken ankle and then having Paige being able to step in, it just felt like a really magical moment and kind of like what pro wrestling is about," she said. "Actually gives me goosebumps thinking about that moment because, honestly, I was like, OK, so we're out of ‘Mania, and then I'll wait ‘til Nikki gets better.

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Paige engages the fans as Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss look on before their Women's Tag Team Championship match during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Getty Images)

"But to be able to still stay in it and then see all these women out there in the ring who, I really respect and love and getting to do it with Paige, and I'll be honest, like Paige and I were like, here we go, let's see how this goes. And I had so much fun with her. I feel like we're a great tag team together, and she agreed, and we have a lot of chemistry, and I think when people watch ‘Total Divas’ they saw that, Paige and I were really close and we're very aligned, so it was magical."

Bella and Paige defeated Nia Jax and Lash Legend, Charlotte Flair and Alexa Bliss and Bayley and Lyra Valkyria to win the tag titles that night.

As time went on, the duo of Bella and Paige lost the championship to Fallon Henley and Lainey Reid before eventually splitting up at SummerSlam.

The Bellas parted with Paige, leading to a feud between Nikki Bella and Paige at one point this year. Brie Bella has been on the sideline with a broken scapula, which she suffered at SummerSlam in Minneapolis.

Brie Bella and Paige react to the crowd before the Women's Tag Team Championship match during WrestleMania 42 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, Nev., on April 18, 2026. (Getty Images)

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She gave some insight to OutKick Dropkick on her injury timeline earlier this week.